Drop propsal to merge BSNL with MTNL, employees union urges PM Modi

BSNL Employees Union on Wednesday appealed to PM Modi to "drop proposal to merge MTNL with BSNL"

BSNL Employees Union on Wednesday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "drop proposal to merge MTNL with BSNL".

The employees union of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) also suggested the government to take over Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited's (MTNL) Rs 26,000 crore debt and provide financial assistance to BSNL.

"We wish to express our serious concern regarding the merger of BSNL and MTNL. The BSNL employees are genuinely concerned that, the merger of MTNL with BSNL will certainly ruin the financial condition of the latter. Due to this reason, right from the beginning, the employees of BSNL have been firmly opposing the merger of BSNL and MTNL," the union said in a letter to the Prime Minister.

The union quoted a senior BSNL official as saying that "MTNL is in the ICU and any day it can be declared dead" and "a catastrophe is waiting to happen in MTNL".

"We fervently appeal to you to kindly drop the proposal to merge MTNL with BSNL. Alternatively, the government should take over MTNL's debt of Rs 26,000 crore. In addition to this, the government should also provide sufficient financial assistance to BSNL, for the rehabilitation of the networks of MTNL. This demand is being raised because, both the mobile as well as landline networks of MTNL are in a dilapidated condition. Hence, we earnestly urge upon you to kindly look into this issue and to kindly take appropriate action to safeguard the interests of BSNL," the union said.